This invention relates to a workpiece retention carrier unit with a suction head, for using when a workpiece in the shape of a plate, for instance, is retained and carried with a laser beam machining equipment or the like.
In the past, when a workpiece in the shape of a plate, for instance, is retained and carried in a laser beam machining equipment or the like, a retention carrier unit having a suction head using vacuum pads or the like has been used.
However, the workpiece after machining has various kinds of shapes. Especially, in case of the workpiece having complex shape, it is difficult to retain and carry the workpiece since, oftentimes the position of the vacuum pad cannot be successfully fitted in the shape of the workpiece. In addition, in the case of the workpiece having a fine part, the vacuum pad may not make sufficient contact with the workpiece. So,effective suction force cannot be generated and it is difficult to retain and carry.
Furthermore, when the retained workpiece is carried to a narrow place, such as just beside the pile of workpieces already piled, a problem may be encountered in that the suction head interferes with the pile of workpieces, and thus the workpiece cannot be successfully carried.
Accordingly, taking the above-mentioned circumstances into consideration, the object of the present invention is to provide a workpiece retention carrier unit and a suction head, capable of appropriately retaining even complex and finely-shaped workpieces. Furthermore,preferably, the object of the present invention is to provide a suction head capable of appropriately carrying workpieces to a narrow place.